Pee Funnel Camp is back for our 12th year on the playa - and we will not be a placed theme camp this year (for various political reasons that will be discussed elsewhere). We need a lot of help on Monday and Tuesday of the event because we do not have early arrival and we have 7500 Pee Funnels to gift to those ladies that want to piss into a bottle instead of walking to the potties (great at night, for those of you that haven't used them!).

We primarily need volunteers to help us hang our funny hot pink signs on the inside door of every port-a-potty in Black Rock City. While this may sound like a stinky job - you actually make a lot of friends doing it and get a lot of love. Also, early in the week the potties aren't that stinky. People love Pee Funnel Camp - and we will gladly share that love with you for helping us out.

You must be: able to tape a sign on all four sides and follow simple instructions. It's a bit physically exerting as you have to bike/walk from row to row of potties. Also, you must definitely be able to commit to doing this work on the first or second day of the event.

Additionally - we could use more hands on deck to help us put up the Pee Funnel Dispensers (simple construction, tab A, slot B - we need those that can work a drill and pound some rebar).

In return we can offer a few things - use of our shower (bring your own water though), a gourmet organic hot meal or two, popsicles, libations - whatever you are into I'm sure we have something to offer you!

Please reply here or get in touch with me at diablolita at gmail dot com.

Now - the problem is: we are not a placed theme camp this year (long story) - so I don't yet know where we will be or where you can find us. I am aiming for the 3:00 sector, as close in to the Esplanade as possible (Columbine would make me happy, but we shall see). There are things I will do to make finding us a possibility: 1. I will register our location with Playa Info as soon as I can. 2. I will immediately put up signs on the inner ring (usually between D and Eish) of 3:00, 3:30, and 4:00 potties - opening almost any of their doors should show you our location in all its hot pink glory. This is likely your best bet. 3. You could just bike down the streets from 2:30-4:30, A-D screaming "PEE FUNNEL CAMP" you can recognize us by our piss yellow Pee Funnel Dispenser (large, plywood box) which will hopefully be up by then.

Ask for me - Diablolita (or Blacklisted, likely my playa name this year) - or just say you are here to hang up signs and I am sure we will all be VERY happy to see you. We really need the help as early as possible on Monday.

Thank you thank you thank you! Pee Funnel Camp loves you and we will shower you with gifts and praise and Pee Funnels! But no pee!

Also - I should mention that MEN are now using Pee Funnels! Last year we had 2 guys in Pee Funnel Camp using them. Either they are sharing pee bottles and don't want to cross streams, or they are aiming into a bottle with a really small opening and don't want to make a mess. They are an equal opportunity product!

Maybe if she had been honest and fessed up and offered up HER ticket as punishment, plead mercy for her unknowning camp mates, and been honorable by falling on the knife and accepting responsibilty then her camp mates wouldnt have suffered.

[quote="Simon of the Playa"]Maybe if she had been honest and fessed up and offered up HER ticket as punishment, plead mercy for her unknowning camp mates, and been honorable by falling on the knife and accepting responsibilty then her camp mates wouldnt have suffered.

But she didnt.

She bullshitted.

Fuck her.[/quote]

Actually -I did *exactly* what you said - though my ticket was of course voided along with the rest. The org did not void the tickets of the rest of PFC who bought theirs directly, only those bought under my name. I stepped down from PFC - but the org wouldn't budge even without me. I also funded the replacement tickets (and the bulk of the Pee Funnels) myself to make it up to the camp. Bought them at almost double price from scalpers. Thank G-d for them.

I am lucky to own and run a successful business - and the accusations that I was scalping to fund Pee Funnel Camp or to profit are misguided. It's just not that big of an expense.

No bullshit - just a stupid, poorly planned act of civil disobedience. I didn't think anything through and made a series of very dumb choices - but I did and do want to affect change in policy and an avenue for myself and the other theme camp organizers (over 50 of them have reached out to me in this regard) to have some way of inputting into process.

Last edited by Diablolita on Fri Aug 03, 2012 5:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Kuni: Ahhh, a red snapper. Mmmmm, very tasty. Okay, Weaver, listen carefully. You can hold on to your red snapper...Kuni: ...or you can go for what's in the box that Hiro-San is bringing down the aisle right now! What's it gonna be?Phyllis Weaver: I'll take the box. The box!Kuni: You took the box? Let's see what's in the box!

WTF is "civil disobedience" here? Seriously! For whatever reason you claim the facts by your own admission in your post and on your facebook page are:

1)You offered two tickets for sale over face value on eBay, knowing full well that the BMorg only wanted Directed Distribution tickets sold for face (you say you included camp dues, the next person can say they include their RV cost, the next person the cost of gas to get them there- it doesn't matter, anything over the cost of the ticket plus shipping fees is OVER FACE VALUE)

2)On July 16th you posted this on your own facebook wall (thank you reddit):

Pee Funnel Camp.JPG

(names redacted by me)

3)You keep calling people trying to catch scalpers "rats". Why? You're the first Burner I've heard of who is against people trying to stop scalpers, and I certainly haven't heard anyone else say they were trying to catch the people going after the scalpers, not the scalpers themselves. This is the biggest issue I have & it calls everything you've posted into question. Why are you so extremely interested in protecting scalpers that you cost your camp placement, tickets... everything? The only reason I can see to protect scalpers is because you want to sell over face value yourself. Please explain to me how I'm wrong. Please. (saying "that's not what I was doing" isn't an explanation - I want a serious, thought out answer on how protecting scalpers is good for the community)

4)You used Directed Distribution tickets to try to catch these anti-scalpers (again- why??), full-well knowing how serious the Org was about them being used by the camp, for the camp. Seriously, if you are truly innocent- WTF were you thinking? Why did you care if people were trying to snag scalpers? Why didn't you use one of the million other services to transfer the funds that would have protected you & your campmates? After you corrected your initial sale, why did you even care??

5)"they never looked at eBay or investigated" The Org is so lawyered up it's not even funny. I seriously doubt they're going to do something this serious on a whim, or without proof. That's pure speculation on my part, but knowing how long it takes them to do anything connected with eplaya (and we're easy), I can only assume they do at least the same with scalpers.

6)The "I've always hated the org" line. This does not inspire my trust that the story hasn't been twisted to make someone look better (or worse). If you're trying to win points for being a victim, it doesn't help to say you hate the other side. It just makes you look like a sore looser who got caught with a hand in the cookie jar. Plus saying you've always hated them, while at the same time saying you're friends with them, while also saying you're trying to prove they were screwing people (by stopping scalpers)... Make up one story & stick to it.

7)As for your claims of "entrapment"... I don't think you were forced to perform a "sting" to protect scalpers, and I don't think you were forced to use one of your DD tickets as "proof"- why didn't you use one of the two you paid for? (and I still don't get how protecting scalpers is a good thing). The Org has the lawyers, I'm sure they'll handle this charge.

8)Your last post in this thread:

Diablolita wrote:Bought them at almost double price from scalpers. Thank G-d for them.

You are the first person I've heard "Thank G-d" for scalpers through this entire 8 month ticket ordeal; and if I was your campmate you can bet I would expect you to replace the tickets you cost the camp through your incredibly stupid actions.

Good god, I could go on & on (and have elsewhere)

Your entire defense reads as someone who got caught fucking up major, and is now desperately trying to pretend they didn't do anything wrong to save face to your camp & the rest of Burning Man. I read your defense & it convinced me that you probably did try to scalp tickets. In all honesty, I think it's you who dragged Pee Funnels name through the mud, not the BMorg. Think about it: I'm sure most people didn't even know about this until your clumsy post.

{mod hat on}

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

I am wondering where the deep burner spirit is here. I'm talking about the inherent thing that carries us all through the year, and causes me to offer free umbrellas to complete strangers on the street when it's raining. The kindness that we really try to bring to the world when we're off the playa.It's good to try and tap dance though the problem here, but deep down in yourself, what is happening?

I don't feel like beating anyone up here, but some real soul searching and some redemption is in order.

Your entire defense reads as someone who got caught fucking up major, and is now desperately trying to pretend they didn't do anything wrong to save face to your camp & the rest of Burning Man. I read your defense & it convinced me that you probably did try to scalp tickets. In all honesty, I think it's you who dragged Pee Funnels name through the mud, not the BMorg. Think about it: I'm sure most people didn't even know about this until your clumsy post.

{mod hat on}[/quote]

I could also go on and on - but we're never going to reach an agreement.

The fundamental disagreement is that I don't have any problem with scalpers nor do I find them a threat to this so called "community" - I am a staunch free market capitalist. I view the tickets as a commodity, Burning Man as a privileged event for the privileged (it would make me happy if the tickets were far more expensive - it would cut down on the population and solve a lot of problems) and if the org doesn't want them viewed that way they should issue non-transferable tickets (though that would have fucked me this year so right now I'm sure glad they didn't). I wrote to them early in the game and BEGGED them to the airline ticket model or really to follow ANY WORKING MODEL rather than make up their own.

As to your points:

1. Ceded - totally stupid thing to do. Wasn't thinking it through. Virgin said "let's use eBay". I said "okay." I didn't have any idea it would be a problem. It wouldn't have if I didn't proceed to do what I did next. Not only that - I didn't and don't really care what the Org wants. It's my anarchic ways that got me to BM in the first place, and that got me in trouble this year. It never occurred to me that there would be people ratting. I tend to operate like Burning Man is still the way it was my first year - blinders indeed.

2. That is out of context. At that point I thought I had 2 extra pre-sale tickets - and I was going to GIVE them away to my friends for helping with PFC. Situation changed as my camp did - it never happened. I would have had 1 extra ticket had they not been voided. I would have given it away for free to anyone that would sit with me and shove tubes into holes for days on end.

3. Because I don't think there is anything wrong with scalping. (As a side note, to me there seems little difference between scalping and offering tickets at different price points. It's a nice idea to think that those that can afford more will pay for those that can't, but that sure isn't what happens. Everyone goes for the lowest cost tickets - I did for years and only bought pre-sale this time to get more rounds in the lottery.) Population growth is the major concern of "the community" (and the planet)- demand over supply is what got us into the ticketing ordeal. Curtailing the population through pricing the tickets highly doesn't bother me. It certainly seems more fair to me than doing it randomly through lottery. Tell me how rats help the community:

A scalper sells a ticket for above face value. They are ratted. Best case scenario: the person that bought it contests the sale and hands it back to the scalper - who returns it for a full refund. Worst case scenario: they walk with the money while the buyer, unaware that the scalper has been caught, shows up to the gate to find their ticket has been voided because a "rat" turned the scalper in.

Rats hurt BUYERS not SELLERS. They may prevent the sellers from making a profit, but that's about all. I am sure there will be people this year that show up and find their tickets voided. Most burners are not nerds about policy and don't even know that there IS a list of voided tickets to check.

4. Yeah, that was stupid. I was drunk.

5. They are so lawyered up they claimed they copied the legal team on their correspondence with me and did not. I WISH they were more lawyered up. I wish that they would take the money away from funding art (since it doesn't go to theme camps or art cars.. how is that "fair"?) and use it to fund better lawyers more versatile at defending them from the BLM. I don't think any investigation happened here because they accused me of listing tickets for $650 - which I never did. The "rat" was the only one who saw that price. My friends on staff claim that it's an utter clusterfuck and nothing is organized or well thought out.

6. I've always hated them as an institution, not as individuals. My friends on staff are not involved in ticketing or placement or any of the like - they are emergency services. Why should they profit off of what we all put into the city? Why are there no elections? Why is there no system of appeals for theme camps but there is for mutant vehicles? Why don't those that contribute get any say in the way the city is run? I am not trying to play the victim - I'm just reporting what happened. I don't expect anything or feel entitled to anything (PFC was not placed until they stopped letting us in early, in 2007) - I am just making noise because I do not think that a ticket lottery is fair, nor do I think that doling out tickets to theme camps and art projects is fair. Either make it random - or don't.

7. Because the person and I had a conversation over the course of some days and I said I had a number of tickets available, by the time they asked for the photos I only had 5 on hand (the rest had been delivered to my campmates) and they wanted to see photos of all of them. Even so - ALL tickets I bought under my name were voided, it wouldn't have mattered which numbers I showed them.

I paid for all 11 of the tickets. Again: they did not void all of PFC's DD tickets. Those that were bought directly by PFC members remain valid. I bought most of our tickets this year because I had the money to invest and other people couldn't afford it at the time.

As for dragging our name through the mud - it really is my prerogative, just as it's my hand that caulks every single one of those motherfuckers. Don't want a Pee Funnel? Don't get one. Want one? It's yours. Want to tar and feather me for making noise about this silly shit? Okay, I probably asked for it.

Diabolita, you know what, I gotta give you some respect for actually answering my question. I think your reasons for supporting scalpers are... "wrong", to put it nicely, but you didn't try to duck out of answering.

The catch here is that the Org has always said scalping is legal under the laws of the State of Nevada, which Burning Man operates under. They also say right in the legal fine print on the back of the ticket "this ticket is a revocable license that may be revoked by Burning Man for any reason". Putting a ticket on eBay & using a DD # pretty much stepped right into that reason, especially in a year where people like yourself are screaming about the ticket situation. If it was another camp that got caught for the same thing, how would you feel- knowing how many camps would give anything to have gotten even one or two Directed tickets, let alone enough to have 9 of them revoked while still leaving the camp with some?

As for item number 2: "I was going to GIVE them away" and "make me an offer" are not saying the same thing. In context of what occurred, it's a little hard to buy that the word "offer" meant "gift", especially since I don't know of any context in which the phrase "make me an offer" means "I'd like to give something away".

Want to tar and feather me for making noise about this silly shit? Okay, I probably asked for it.

Please don't claim to be a capitalist and a free market individual while disrespecting the TEN PRINCIPALS and BMorg. Capitalism and free market have no place in a decommodified community.

DecommodificationIn order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising. We stand ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. We resist the substitution of consumption for participatory experience.

Whatever you have given, produced or accomplished over the years is now tainted. I am willing to host a box of your funnels at our camp for whoever wants them. If you provide us the adds for the portopotties, we will see they are mounted on the 7:30 pots. But it breaks my heart that such a great service has been compromised by an individual who believes it is okay to profit monetarily from Burning Man.

The Placement Team wrote:Thank you for your feedback and concern regarding Pee Funnel Camp.

On July 20, 2012, it was brought to our attention that our main contact for Pee Funnel Camp was engaged in re-selling multiple tickets for above face value (scalping). Following a thorough investigation by our ticket office, all tickets under the name of this person were voided (with instructions on how to return the tickets for a refund).

We then canceled the advance, reserved Placement of Pee Funnel Camp, and associated early arrival passes. The Placement team's reasoning and perspective in this matter were explained to the camp lead. Specifically, the camp lead was reminded of the instructions that were sent on March 16, 2012, along with the Direct Distributed Ticket purchase codes intended only for their camp.

Those instructions clearly stated:

"Remember: it is your responsibility to make sure access to these tickets goes to the people who are integral to the success of your project."

and

"We trust the integrity of this community with the multiple-ticket order option described above, to maintain the one ticket per person limit across these categories. Should you end up with a ticket surplus, please sell them back through the STEP ticket process"

We have reviewed the explanations and appeals put forth by the camp lead. They do not hold up – our ticket office does not cancel tickets unless they have substantial proof of wrongdoing and identity. Our decision in this matter is final.

Pee Funnel Camp can still arrive, setup, and pamphlet the event as a non-registered camp once our Gates open to the public.

The Placement Team wrote:it was brought to our attention that our main contact for Pee Funnel Camp was engaged in re-selling multiple tickets for above face value (scalping).

Now, that's interesting.

When I originally read the story from PFC's view, I thought: Okay, whether it's believable or not, it appears that BMOrg shot too fast. I wrote a letter about what I think BOrg did wrong to Bettie June and all she responded with was "there's more behind it".

My argument was: If PFC's story is true, then she did not actually sell the ticket, only _offered_ them for sale. And with her own explanation, i.e. not really going to sell them, but only to see how rats react to that, she's hasn't done a violation of the rules.

Now, the above quote confirms this clearly: BOrg accuses her of selling. But she didn't. So BOrg isn't true to their own rules here, and instead uses out-of-scope measurements. That's fucked up. How can they by the judge of others if they can't even see how they abuse their power themselves?

While she (PFC) didn't make a smart move, it's even worse what BOrg did here: Punish for something that clearly didn't happen.

Or did the sale actually go through? Then the PFC story is really a lie. But if not, it's just a lot of hypocrisy from mean people who are no better from those they criticise and a wrong (illegal by their own terms) move from BOrg. Clearly